Dispensing pump apparatus



Sept. 19, 1950 v. A. VQN HAAsE I 2,

DISPENSING PUMP APRARATUS Filed May 9, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MULTEA/MASS 50L ID MASS I/ INVENTbR. (241517, A- OMH'GML Sept. 19, 1950 v. A.VON HAASE' DISPENSING PUMP APPARATUS Filed May 9, 1945 2 Sheefs-Shet 2O00 O00 O00 000 00 0 v, I jINVEI VTORL Patented Sept. 19, 1950 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING PUMP APPARATUS Victor A. von Haase,Rocky River, Ohio, assignor to Chipper Equipment Company, Inc.

Application May 9, 1945, Serial No. 592,847

'7 Claims. 1

My invention relates to a device for removing low melting solid massfrom containers.

It is an object of my invention to provide means for melting the lowmelting solid mass and means for pumping the molten mass from thecontainer.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an electrical heatingelement which floats on the low melting solid mass for melting the massand also the provision of a pumping means for removing the molten massfrom the container as it is melted by the electrical heating element.

My invention has for another object the provision of a mechanism whichwhen floated on a low melting solid mass melts its way downwardly intothe solid mass and also pumps the molten mass in the region of theheating element from the container.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a mechanism formelting a low melting solid mass and for circulating a portion of themolten. mass about the heating element, and then removing the moltenmass from the container.

Still a further object of my invention is the provision of a mechanismfor removing W melting solid mass from a container in predeterminedquantities by melting the portion of the mass to be removed and pumpingthe molten mass from the container without melting the entire solidmass.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of my invention may be had byreferring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of m invention showing my pumpingmechanism in actual use;

Figure 2 is an enlarged View of my invention taken along the lines 22 ofFigure 1;

Figure 3 is a still further enlarged view of my invention taken alongthe line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a side view of my invention, parts being shown in section,as taken along the line l-4 of Figure 3.

It is one of the purposes of my invention to provide a fast, efficientand easy method of removing a solid mass having low melting temperaturefrom its container. Attempts have been made to melt all the solid massin the container and thus convert it to molten mass before pumping anyof it from the container. A low wattage heating element was used inmelting the contents of the entire container to prevent changing thecomposition of the solid mass by overheating that portion of the massneat adjacent the heating element, thus resulting in a slow meltingrate, which renders the method impractical. In my invention I havematerially raised thewattage output of the heating element to producerapid melting of the solid material and have added means to recirculatea portion of the molten mass about the heating element to increase therate of dissipating the heat therefrom. This recirculation of a portionof the molten mass about the heating element prevents changing thecomposition of any of the mass by over heating. The pumping means hasits intake in the region of the heating element thus enabling me toremove the molten mass from the container as it is being melted by theheating element. I have materially reduced the time required to removethe low melting solid mass from its container by using the higher outputheating e1ement and recirculating a portion of the mass. Still anotheradvantage of my invention is that it permits removal of small quantitiesof the solid mass from the container without disturbing the remainder ofthe mass in the container.

With reference to my drawings and in particular to Figure 1, thereference character l0 represents the entire pumping and heatingmechanism or unit which removes the low melting solid massfrom thecontainer l2. The unit or mechanism It! includes an electrical heatingunit l3, a centrifugal pump [4, an electric motor l5 and a frame supportl6 which supports the other parts of the mechanism 10. The frame supportIt has a base plate 20 with support members 2i and a conduit 22 fastenedby welding or other suitable means thereto and extending upwardltherefrom. The conduit 22 is a part of the electrical heating unit I3.Above the base plate 20 is bracing plate 24 which is fastened by weldingor other suitable means between the supporting members 2| and theconduit 22. The bracing plate 24 is in a plane parallel to the plane ofthe base plate 20 and at a distance from the base plate approximatelyequal to the depth of the container I2 from which the solidmass H isbeing removed. The supporting member 23 which extends upwardly from thebracing plate 24 and substantially parallel to the other supportingmembers 2! is fastened by weldingor other suitable means to the bracingplate 24 and in the region of the conduit 22. A top spacer plate 25 isfastened to the ends of the supporting members 2! and thesupportingmember 23. The top spacer plate 25 is in a plane substantiallyparallel to the planeof the bracing plate 24, and at a distance from thebracing plate 24 greater than the length of the electric motor character38.

which are sealed in a metal housing 4!. purposes of clarity I haveomitted sectioning of 'the lead wires 42 by the molten mass I7.

"element switch box 31. 35. extend perimetrically about the underneathside of the base plate 20.

I5. A motor mounting plate 21 is fastened by Welding or other suitablemeans to the supporting members 2I and between the bracing plate 24 andthe top spacer plate 25. The electric motor I5 is fastened by bolts 45as shown in Figures 1 and 2 or by other suitable means to the motormounting plate 21 with the longitudinal axis of the rotor vertical. Theheater switch box mounting plate 28, which supports the heating elementswitch box 31 is fastened between one of the supporting members 2H andthe supporting member 23 located between the bracing plate 24 and thespacer plate 25. It is noted that the heating element switch box 3'! andother controls of my mechanism I0 are remote from the heating ele ments35 and the centrifugal pump I4 a distance which will permit lowering theentire mechanism I0 to the bottom of the container I2. v

The electrical heating unit l3 as carried by the frame support It hascircular heating elements 35, and includes the heating element switchbox 31, and the conduit 22. The heating elements 35 are fastened to thelower end of the eonduit 22 by a heating element terminal head which maybe welded or fastened by other suitable means on to the end of theconduit 22. This heater element terminal head has reference The heaterelements may consist of resistor wires 40 wrapped in insulation 39 theinsulation in the cross-sections of the heating elements 35 as shown inFigure 4. The metal housing 4I may be welded or otherwise fastened tothe heater element terminal head 38 to sup- "port the heater elements 35beneath the base plate of my unit or mechanism IE1. Thus, the heatingelements 35 and the heater element terminal head 38 are entirely sealedto prevent possible damage to the resistor wires 48 and to The onlyexposed portion of lead wires 42 is between the upper end of the conduitand the heating The heating elements The centrifugal pump I4 may befastened by bolts 45' as shown in Figure 4 or by other suit- ;"ablemeans to the base plate of my unit or mechanism I0.

The drive shaft 46 of the cen-- trifugal pump extends upwardly from thepump through the bracing plate 24 and is connected to the rotor of theelectric motor I5. ugal pump I4 has an intake 41 through an opening inthe base plate 20.

The centrif- The intake 41 of thecentrifugal pump. is located near thecenter of the heating elements I have used an inlet cover plate 48 whichmay be fastened by the bolts to the bottom side of the base plate 25 toprevent the solid mass I I from entering the pump through the intake 41.This inlet cover plate 48 substantially cup-shaped and has a pluralityof holes, 49 in the sides thereof. The holes 49 in the cover plate 48will admit the molten mass- I into the centrifugal pump I4 and excludethef's olid mass from the pump.

I have installed a T 5! in the outlet 50 of the centrifugal pump I4 todivide the flow of the Iii is fastened to one branch of the T 5!. A re-'eirculating pipe 53 which extends downwardly jjthlOllgh an opening inthe base plate 25) is fastened to the other outlet of the T 5!.

A valve 54' For in the recirculating pipe 53 regulates the rate of flowof the molten mass from the recirculating pipe. The valve handle 55 islocated above the bracing plate 24 and is fastened to the valve 54 by avalve stem 51 which extends through an opening in the bracing plate. Anozzle 56 on the end of the recirculating pipe and in the region of theheating elements 35, directs the flow of the molten mass I1 from therecirculating pipe 53 into the region of the heating elements 35. Therecirculation of a portion of the molten mass I! permits me to use thehigher output heating elements 35 without damaging any of the solid massby overheating. Although I have recirculated a portion of the moltenmass I? it is understood that other methods such as stirring may be usedto circulate the molten mass in the region of the heater elements 35.The discharge pipe 52 after extending upwardly through an opening in thebracing plate 24 is turned and extends outwardly in a horizontaldirection from the pumping mechanism III. I have used a valve 60 in thedischarge pipe 52 to regulate the flow therethrough. A hose 6! as shownin Figure l or other suitable tubing may be fastened to the end of thedischarge pipe 52 to carry the molten mass from my unit or mechanism I0.

In operation I fasten wire ropes 64 as shown symbolically in Figure 1 tothe top of my unit or mechanism Ill. The wire ropes 64 extend overpulleys 55 and are fastened to a counter-balance 55 thus providing meansfor reducing the difficulties of handling of the unit or mechanism It].These pulleys, also shown symbolically in Figure 1, may be fastened bysuitable means above the mechanism If) and the containers I2. Theoperator lowers the unit or mechanism II] on to the surface of the lowmelting solid mass Ii in the container I2. He then closes the heatingelement switch 3'! to energize the heating element 35 for melting thelow melting sol-id mass II. At the same time the electric motor I5 isturned on to operate the centrifugal pump I4. As the low melting solidmass I I is melted it becomes a molten mass II which is drawn into theintake 41 of the centrifugal pump I4 and is discharged therefrom throughthe outlet 50. A portion of the molten mass discharged from the pump isrecirculated back through the region of the heater elements 35 arid theremainder is removed from the container through the discharge pipe 62.The valves in the discharge and the recirculating pipes regulate therate of flow of molten mass through the pipes. This process of meltingthe low melting solid mass, recirculating a portion of the molten massthrough the heating elements, and removing the molten mass from thecontainer through the discharge pipe is a continuous process until theunit or mechanism has worked its way downwardly through the low meltingsolid mass II to the bottom of the container I2. It is noted here thatsmall quantities of the solid mass I I may be removed from the containerwithout preheating all of the mass in the container.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has beenmade only by way of example and. that numerous changes in the details ofconstruction and the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pumping mechanism for removing a low 3 melting solid mass from acontainer comprising an electrical heating element for raising thetemperature of solid mass above its melting point thus changing thesolid mass in the region of the heating element to a molten material,plate means for fioatingly supporting the electrical heating element onthe solid mass, guide means for holding the said plate means and thesaid electrical heating element in a substantially horizontal plane,pumping means having a first and a second outlet and being mounted onthe said plate means for removing the molten material from thecontainer, the said plate means and the said electrical heating elementresting on the solid mass and melting their way downwardly in the massand carrying the pumping means therewith, the said pumping means havingvalve means for regulating the rate of fiow of the molten material fromthe said first and second outlets, the molten material from the saidfirst outlet being recirculated into the region of the electricalheating element, and the molten material from the said second outletbeing forced from the container.

2. A device for removing a low melting solid mass from a container, saiddevice comprising, electrical heating means floatingly supported on thelow melting solid mass for melting the low melting solid mass, andpumping means having an inlet in the region of the heating means forremoving the molten portion of the low melting solid mass from thecontainer as it is being melted by the electrical heating means and forforcibly circulating at least a part of the molten mass in the region ofthe heating means.

3. A device for removing a solid mass from a container, the said solidmass having low melting temperature, said device comprising, anelectrical heating element floatingly supported on the solid mass forraising the temperature of the solid mass next adjacent the electricalheating element above the melting temperature thus forming a moltenmaterial, and pumping means having an inlet in the region of the heatingelement for removing the molten material from the container as it isbeing formed by the said electrical heating element and for forciblycirculating at least a part of the molten mass in the region of theheating element.

4. A pumping mechanism for removing a low melting solid mass from acontainer, said pumping mechanism comprising, a heating element forraising the temperature of the solid mass above its melting temperature,support means for supporting the heating element, pumping means mountedon the support means for removing the molten material from thecontainer, the said support means and the said heating element restingon the solid mass and melting their way downwardly in the mass andcarrying the pump therewith, and means for recirculating a portion ofthe molten material from the pump and into the region of the heatingelement.

5. A device for removing a solid mass from a container comprising,support means having an upper end with hook means and having a lower endwith plate means, an electrical heating element fastened beneath thesaid plate means for melting the solid mass, pumping means having aninlet and a first and a second outlet mounted on the plate means, valvemeans for regulating the flow of molten material through the first andthe second outlet, the molten material from the said first outlet beingrecirculated into the region of the said heating element, the moltenmaterial from the said second outlet being forced from the container.

6. A device for removing a low melting solid mass from a containercomprising, support means, electrical heating means fastened to the saidsupport means for melting the solid mass, said support means supportingthe heating element in the container pumping means having an inlet inthe region of said heating means and having a first and a second outlet,said first outlet constituting means for forcibly recirculating aportion of the molten mass in the region of the heating means and thesaid second outlet constituting means for removing the molten mass fromthe container.

7. A device for removing low melting solid mass from a container, saiddevice comprising, an electrical heating element adapted to befloatingly supported by said mass, said electrical heating elementsupplying heat for melting said solid mass thus forming molten mass inthe region of said heating element, pump means for forciblyrecirculating a portion of the said molten mass in the region of thesaid heating element thus distributing the heat from the said heatingelement and into the surrounding mass, said heating element thus meltingits way into the said solid mass, said pump means removing said moltenmass from the container as it is being melted.

VICTOR A. VON I-IAASE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,354,757 Popcke et al. Oct. 5,1920 1,953,927 Chase Apr. 10, 1934 2,105,990 Schultz et a1 Jan. 18, 19382,252,254 Fesenmaier Aug. 12, 1941 2,354,623 Tietig July 25, 19442,419,159 Pezzillo Apr. 15, 1947

